✈️ For Visitors

Diving in Sabah — Sipadan, Mabul & Best Dive Sites

Last updated: 6 October 2026

Sipadan

Malaysia's only oceanic island, rising 600m from the seabed — living coral on top of a volcanic cone in the Celebes Sea. Sabah Parks says it has been rated by many dive journals as one of the top dive destinations in the world, with more than 400 fish species, hundreds of coral species and 12 popular dive sites (Sabah Parks, checked 6 October 2026).

At Barracuda Point you may find yourself in a swirling vortex of chevron or blacktail barracuda. Turtles are everywhere: green and hawksbill turtles gather here, and it is not unusual to see more than 20 on a dive (Sabah Tourism Board, checked 6 October 2026). Turtle Cavern, a cave system entered about 22m down the Drop Off wall, holds the skeletons of turtles that lost their way. Other wall dives include Whitetip Avenue, Turtle Patch and Hanging Gardens, and Sabah Parks gives visibility of 60 to 200 feet (Sabah Parks, checked 6 October 2026).

Permits: only 252 are issued a day (Sabah Tourism Board). Sabah Parks charges non-Malaysians RM450 a day (RM100 conservation fee plus RM350 scuba diving fee) and Malaysians RM300 (RM50 plus RM250) (Sabah Parks, checked 6 October 2026). Operators such as Scuba Junkie report that from May 2026 divers can do three dives a day at Sipadan (previously two); confirm with your operator (checked 6 October 2026). Advanced Open Water is the minimum. Book through one of the 42 operators registered with Sabah Parks, who can book up to six months ahead with a 50% deposit (Sabah Parks, checked 6 October 2026). Some operators guarantee a permit only with a package — Scuba Junkie, for example, from 3 days and 2 nights (checked 6 October 2026). Sipadan closed for the whole of November in 2023 so the reef could recover (Sabah Parks, 30 October 2023), and Scuba Junkie says it closes every November (checked 6 October 2026), so confirm the dates with your operator before booking. Most reliable months: roughly March or April to September, by operator reports (Borneo Dream, Seaventures, PADI), with visibility of 15 to 40m quoted (Borneo Dream, Scuba Junkie); there is no official survey. Water temperature: a consistent 27 to 29°C all year around Semporna, by one operator's report (Seaventures, 2019 article, checked 6 October 2026).

Other Dive Sites

Mabul & Kapalai

Macro paradise. Mabul has frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, mantis shrimp and nudibranchs, plus a site called Eel Garden (Scuba Junkie — Mabul, checked 6 October 2026). At Kapalai, mandarinfish perform their mating ritual at dusk in the coral rubble beside the jetty, and ribbon eels are common finds (Scuba Junkie — Kapalai, checked 6 October 2026). With no accommodation on Sipadan, divers stay on Mabul or Kapalai (Sabah Parks), or in Semporna (Sabah Tourism Board).

Layang-Layang

A remote offshore atoll that was known for its diving.

Note: the dive resort on the atoll, Layang Layang Island Resort, was reported closed since 2022 and its licence was revoked in January 2025 (FMT, 8 Jan 2025), so it cannot currently be booked.

Lankayan

A coral island in the Sulu Sea, roughly 2 hours by boat from Sandakan, inside a no-take conservation area. It has more than 30 dive sites within 15 minutes by boat, with depths up to 24m, macro life and seasonal whale sharks from March to May; green and hawksbill turtles nest on the island (Sabah Tourism Board, checked 6 October 2026). The island's resort has 23 seafront chalets and reports four different wrecks (Lankayan Island Dive Resort, checked 6 October 2026). Less crowded than Semporna.

TARP (from KK)

The Tunku Abdul Rahman Park islands are about 30 minutes by boat from Kota Kinabalu (Jesselton Point, checked 6 October 2026). One operator counts more than 25 dive sites in the park, with diving all year (Seaventures, 2019 article, checked 6 October 2026), and KK dive centres report turtles, black tip reef sharks and, in the right season, whale sharks (Scuba Junkie KK, checked 6 October 2026). It is the most convenient diving from KK city. Dive day trip prices vary by operator.

Mantanani

Off Kota Belud on the northwest coast: a two-hour drive from KK to the Kuala Abai jetty, then about an hour by speedboat. Diving, snorkelling and kayaking are on offer, and the Sabah Tourism Board notes excellent visibility (Sabah Tourism Board, checked 6 October 2026).

Certification

PADI Advanced Open Water is the minimum for Sipadan. Published Semporna prices (checked 6 October 2026):

Bigfin Divers: Open Water RM1,600 (3 days) and Advanced RM1,300, with equipment, e-learning, certification and tax included (Bigfin Divers rates); the Advanced course runs over 2 days (Bigfin Divers — Advanced course)
Scuba Junkie: Open Water RM1,630 (3 days) (Scuba Junkie); Advanced RM1,360 for five adventure dives over 2 days, minimum age 12, certifying you to 30m (Scuba Junkie)

Both centres add RM100 a day for a solo student. PADI courses are also offered in Kota Kinabalu (Scuba Junkie KK). Prices vary by operator, so compare before you book.

Top Operators

Scuba Junkie: 5-star PADI IDC centre based at Mabul Beach Resort, maximum four divers per guide; DAN short-term insurance is available on request, and insurance is recommended but not mandatory for Sipadan (Scuba Junkie, checked 6 October 2026). Bigfin Divers: a water bungalow in Semporna covering Mabul, Kapalai, Si Amil, Mataking, Bum Bum and Tun Sakaran, plus a beach resort with a 5-star PADI dive centre in Kota Belud (Bigfin Divers, checked 6 October 2026); its Semporna rates list a maximum of five divers per guide (Bigfin Divers rates, checked 6 October 2026). Seaventures Dive Rig: a former oil rig turned dive resort off Mabul, with unlimited house reef dives (Seaventures, checked 6 October 2026).

Costs

Prices vary by operator. As published examples from Bigfin Divers (checked 6 October 2026), with equipment, guide, lunch and fees included and accommodation not included: a 3-dive day trip around Semporna is RM395; a 2-day, 6-dive package with one Sipadan day is RM1,740, Sipadan permit included; and a 3-day snorkelling package with one Sipadan day is RM1,170. Scuba Junkie adds RM65 a day for equipment on top of its dive rates (Scuba Junkie, checked 6 October 2026). If you buy the Sipadan permit separately, Sabah Parks charges RM450 a day for non-Malaysians and RM300 for Malaysians (Sabah Parks). TARP dive day trips from KK vary by operator.

Snorkelling

TARP islands (easiest from KK): about 30 minutes by boat. Boat fare and the Sabah Parks conservation fee are paid separately; the terminal also sells a snorkelling tour at RM90 per person, and snorkel gear at RM10 per item per day (Jesselton Point, checked 6 October 2026), and a life jacket for island activities is RM10 (Jesselton Point FAQ). The terminal calls Mamutik the best island for snorkelling (Jesselton Point FAQ).

Semporna: Bigfin Divers publishes RM220 for a snorkelling day trip outside the marine parks (its schedule includes Mabul and Kapalai) and RM270 for a snorkelling and hiking day trip in Tun Sakaran Marine Park, which includes Bohey Dulang; equipment, guide and lunch are included, and taxes and fees are included per Bigfin (confirm Sabah Parks fees are covered) (Bigfin Divers, checked 6 October 2026). Snorkellers can visit Sipadan too, with a permit. Rental prices elsewhere vary by operator.

Seasonal Marine Life

Whale sharks: March to May at Lankayan (Sabah Tourism Board), not guaranteed. Turtles: more than 20 on a dive is not unusual at Sipadan (Sabah Tourism Board), and green and hawksbill turtles nest on Lankayan. Barracuda: schools gather at Sipadan's Barracuda Point (Sabah Parks). Macro life at Mabul and Kapalai is seen all year, by operator reports (Seaventures, 2019 article). Sipadan closes in November; confirm dates with your operator.

⚠️ Diving Safety

Scuba Junkie reports a recompression chamber at the navy base between Semporna and Tawau and another in Kota Kinabalu; suspected cases go first to the hospital in Semporna (Scuba Junkie, checked 6 October 2026). Advanced Open Water certifies you to 30m. Group sizes vary by operator — ask before you book. Dive insurance such as DAN short-term cover is recommended; ask your operator. We could not find a reef-safe sunscreen rule on Sabah Parks' own pages, but Scuba Junkie says Sabah Parks requires reef-safe sunscreen at Sipadan (Scuba Junkie, checked 6 October 2026). Use it everywhere. Give turtles plenty of space, and never touch coral or marine life.

Q Do I need Advanced Open Water for Sipadan?

Yes. Advanced Open Water is the minimum certification to dive Sipadan (Sabah Tourism Board). You can take the course in Semporna: Bigfin Divers publishes RM1,300 for its 2-day PADI Advanced course and Scuba Junkie RM1,360, and both add RM100 a day if you are the only student (checked 6 October 2026). Prices vary by operator.

Q How do I get a Sipadan permit?

Book through one of the 42 dive operators registered with Sabah Parks. Operators can book up to six months ahead, pay a 50% deposit at booking and the balance two weeks before the dive date (Sabah Parks). Only 252 permits are issued a day (Sabah Tourism Board). Some operators guarantee a permit only with a package; Scuba Junkie, for example, guarantees one with packages from 3 days and 2 nights. Operators such as Scuba Junkie report that from May 2026 divers can do three dives a day at Sipadan (previously two); confirm with your operator.

Q What marine life can I see, and when?

Whale sharks are seasonal at Lankayan from March to May (Sabah Tourism Board). At Sipadan it is not unusual to see more than 20 green and hawksbill turtles on a dive (Sabah Tourism Board), and schooling barracuda gather at Barracuda Point (Sabah Parks). Mabul and Kapalai are known for macro life such as frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish and nudibranchs (Scuba Junkie). Sipadan closes in November, so confirm dates with your operator.

Q Where is the best snorkelling without a dive cert?

The Tunku Abdul Rahman Park islands are the easiest, about 30 minutes by boat from Kota Kinabalu, and the terminal calls Mamutik the best island for snorkelling. The terminal sells a snorkelling tour at RM90 per person and snorkel gear at RM10 per item per day (Jesselton Point, checked 6 October 2026). Around Semporna, Bigfin Divers publishes RM220 for a snorkelling day trip and RM270 for a snorkelling and hiking day trip in Tun Sakaran Marine Park, home of Bohey Dulang (checked 6 October 2026). Snorkellers can also visit Sipadan with a permit; Bigfin lists a 3-day snorkelling package with one Sipadan day at RM1,170.